A foodie mommy shares tips, tricks and stories from her kitchen as she seeks out more healthful and interesting meals.

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November 29, 2011

Tuesday's Tip: Meal Recap

Thanksgiving is a (hopefully) happy memory by now, especially as you are in the middle of new work and school week. But helping make sure your next big gathering or meal goes smoothly is easy as taking five minutes today, perhaps during your lunch break or before bed, to jot down a few notes.

If you happened to host Thanksgiving last week, take a few moments and record some notes about the big meal. I know, I know, you think there is no possible way that you would forget to be certain to buy two baguettes of bread for 12 people next year instead of just one (how could you possibly forget Uncle Jim’s face when you told him the bread was gone?), but trust me, unless you have a steel trap for a brain, chances are, you will forget.

So while the holiday is still fairly fresh in your mind, take out a piece of paper or notebook, and jot a few notes down, stick it in your favorite Thanksgiving cookbook or binder so it is not lost, to help you in future years with meal planning.

For my tip(s) of this week, here are few questions you should answer on paper, to help you with future events:

*How many people did you host? How many adults, children and babies?

*How many non-alcoholic and alcohol drinks (approximate is fine) were consumed?

*Think about the appetizers: were there sufficient nibbles for pre-meal mingling? Anything that was hit or miss? Record that too.

*Regarding the meal itself: what dishes were gobbled (pardon the pun) up on Turkey Day? Did you have enough bread, side dishes, etc? What was everyone’s favorite dish? What was barely touched?

*Did you have a good dessert spread? Was there a dessert you need to make sure is on the table again next year? What about whipped cream or other accompaniments?

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